從《湘綺樓說詩》對「興」義的闡釋重評王闓運「擬古」之詩學意義

Reappraising Wang Kaiyun's Views on 'Imitating the Ancients' by Interpreting the Meaning of Inspiration in His 'Xiangqilou Discourse on Poetry'

本文源自於反思王闓運「擬古」評價而開展出的問題意識，以回歸《湘綺樓說詩》的詩論為重心，從「由『興』義所建立起的『詩』觀」、「『擬古』，做為『持志』、『養性』之道」二方面展開探索詮釋。自王氏聯結「緣情」與「承」、「持」二義以釋「詩」的界說，順沿其「為己作」的「自適」、「自持」義以界定「詩」之「用」的脈絡，闡明其論詩合本質與功能為一路，並由此闡發其「曲隱」審美觀之特殊性。另一方面，則聚焦於王氏側重「興」義的「詩」觀下，選擇「五言詩」此一理想詩型以表「情」，而指出「擬古」所具有的踐習經驗義，與由此而證成的「持志」、「養性」之詩學目的。

Reappraising Wang Kaiyun's王闓運 view of the practice of ”imitating the ancients” (擬古 nigu) in poetry raises certain questions. By returning to his ”Xiangqilou Discourse on Poetry” 湘綺樓說詩and taking this work as its focus, this paper aims to investigate and interpret two particular aspects: the distinctive views on poetry he established, and his view of ”imitating the ancients” as a way to sustain the will and cultivate moral character. For Wang, poetry links emotional expression with the ideas of 'carrying on' and 'sustaining', and so serves as a means of self-enjoyment and self-sustenance derived from writing for one's own pleasure; his poetic discourse thus combines poetry's essential qualities and function. This paper also examines Wang Kaiyun's particular emphasis on inspiration (興 xing) in poetry, and in light of this, his choice of a form viewed as particularly ideal for emotional expression: the five-syllable verse. It also explores his highlighting of the value of studying and writing nigu poetry and the literary goals that embody this practice, namely to sustain the will and help develop moral character.